ISN’T WFAN’S NEW HIRE CARTON, MORE DANGEROUS THAN THE I-MAN?

For a company that was freaking out four months ago about Don Imus’ offensive speech, Craig Carton seems to be a strange choice.

Unless CBS Radio has done a complete 180 and really is committed to developing top notch shows that walk the edge.

Carton moves over from a successful stint doing afternoon drive at N.J. 101.5.

A New York native, he did a show called “the Jersey Guys” with Ray Rossi. Carton is a master of ruffling feathers. He had more than his fair share of controversy.

In January 2005, Governor Rich Codey, nearly kicked his ass. Carton angered Codey by making fun of his wife’s bout with depression. Mary Jo had a well publicized bout with postpartum depression. During the first year of motherhood, she had thoughts of putting the baby in the microwave.

Here’s the news report if you didn’t hear about the story.

A few months later, Carton infuriated New Jersey’s huge Asian community by saying that foreigners should not be allowed to dictate the outcome of an “American election.”

Here’s the bit that fired up many N.J. Asians

In April of 2005, coalition of religious, ethnic and gay community leaders came together today to condemn NJ 101.5 Radio afternoon shock jocks Craig Carton and Ray Rossi, “the Jersey Guys,” for what they say are ethnic slurs, anti-gay comments and religious hate.

In 2007, Carton attacked illegal immigration and started “Operation Rat a Rat/La Cucha Gotcha.” A play on La Cucaracha. Carton pushed listeners to rat out neighbors, friends and “anyone suspicious” to immigration authorities.

New Jersey Assemblyman Wilfredo Caraballo described Carton as “a guy who’s managed to insult almost every community around.”

Carton responded by calling Assemblyman Caraballo a “pathetic liar.” Carton reiterated his demand to deport every illegal immigrant in the country. “If you’re here illegally, you are breaking the law – no better, no worse than the guy who robs the liquor store or the guy who waits to case your house out and robs you of your belongings,” he said. “You are a criminal.”

Carton’s most famous recent run-in was with the N.J. State Police. Police union head Davy Jones got so angry that he held up Carton’s personal info (home address, etc) in full view of TV cameras during a news conference. Carton told the listening audience there would be a traffic violation ticket blitz sometime soon around the state. He found this out from a secret police message board.

4 Comments on “ISN’T WFAN’S NEW HIRE CARTON, MORE DANGEROUS THAN THE I-MAN?”

Also, back in ’97 when Eric Lindros was a star in Philly, Carton announced on 610 WIP that Lindros had missed a recent game because he was hungover. He claimed that the excuse the Flyers gave (a sore back) for Lindros missing the game was a cover-up. The Flyers immediately sued WIP, resulting in an out of court settlement and termination of Carton. I hadn’t heard his name in years since I don’t travel to North Jersey often. It’s not surprising to learn that he’s still a scumbag.

This guy used to work on 610 WIP here in Philly a while ago. I remember he initially got kicked off the station for (falsely?) reporting that Eric Lindros was drunk when he got into an accident on New Year’s Eve.